Vivid Stage is a Summit, New Jersey performing arts organization founded in 1994 as Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre by Laura Ekstrand and Janet Sales. A scripted repertory theatre at its core, the company expanded into improv comedy and cabarets alongside its mainstage productions. In 2021 Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre rebranded as Vivid Stage and operates at the Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit.
History
Founding as Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre (1994)
Laura Ekstrand and Janet Sales co-founded Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre in 1994 as a summer-only scripted repertory company. The organization expanded to year-round programming and moved through several homes, including Montclair, Bloomfield College, and South Orange, before settling in Summit in 2012 at the Oakes Center.
Improv and Rebrand
Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre added improv comedy and cabaret programming alongside its scripted mainstage productions, serving Summit and the surrounding New Jersey community across both traditions. In 2021 the organization rebranded as Vivid Stage, its current name.
Artistic Identity
Vivid Stage programs scripted repertory productions, improv comedy, and cabarets from its home at Summit's Oakes Center. The company serves New Jersey audiences across theatrical forms rather than as a dedicated improv institution.
Key Events
Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre Founded in New Jersey
Laura Ekstrand and Janet Sales co-founded Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre in 1994 in New Jersey, a scripted repertory company that later added improv programming and rebranded as Vivid Stage in 2021.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Vivid Stage. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/vivid-stage
The Improv Archive. "Vivid Stage." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/vivid-stage.
The Improv Archive. "Vivid Stage." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/vivid-stage. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.